The DTM introduces changes in the 2016 sporting regulations

The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters will present three major changes in its sporting regulations for the 2016 season, as it was decided in the DTM Commision meeting held in Munich on Tuesday.

The first aspect to see changes will be the performance weights, which caused much controversy last year when the series returned to a two-race weekend format, resulting in important jumps of weight and performance from one event to the next. For the 2016 season, the additional weight each car should carry will be decided in qualifying for each the race, and not from the results of the previous event.

The use of the DRS has been modified, in order to avoid “trains” of cars just going faster but not actually able to overtake. As before, the DRS will be activated when the distance to the preceding car is less than a second at the start/finish line, but only a limited number of activations per lap will be allowed.

The third and more significant decision has come as an agreement of the DTM Commission, which comprises the three manufacturers involved in the series, as well as representatives from promoter ITR and the DMSB, the German motorsport authority, to allow some concessions to BMW. It has been exposed that certain restrictions in the construction of the M4 DTM are translated into a deficit compared with Audi and Mercedes, which cannot be compensated through technical development due to the homologation restrictions, in place until 2017.

The DTM Commission has decided to allow BMW’s minimum weight to be reduced by 7.5kg, with their new base weight 1,112.5kg. Both Audi and Mercedes will remain at last season’s minimum weight of 1,120kg. The Bavarian’s manufacturer rear wing will also be 50 milimitres wider than last year.

Today is the fourth and last day of the ITR official DTM preseason testing in Hockenheim. The 2016 season will kick off at the Baden-Wüttemberg track on 6-8 of May.